


The Choices We Make

by Millie1985



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Jon Snow and Arya Stark are Siblings, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Protective Arya Stark, leader Arya stark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-03-30 01:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19031608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millie1985/pseuds/Millie1985
Summary: Some people believe in destiny, they believe their fates have been preordained and the path laid before them is the one they must walk. Others believe that their destiny is dictated by the choices they make and the actions they take pave the road they are to walk.Daenerys Targaryen believes the Iron Throne is her destiny and she will take it with fire and blood if necessary.Arya Stark believes that every choice she and others make have consequences, each choice comes at a cost and sometimes choosing to do the right thing comes with the steepest price.Jon Snow used to believe that his choices mattered but recently so much of his life has been dictated by others. There have been battels that he has had no choice but to fight and responsibility’s that he has had no choice but to take on. Is this his destiny or can he choose to change it?





	1. To Live.

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a one shot but it kept getting longer and longer so I decided to split it into a few chapters, I don’t know how many as I am not finished yet but I’ll let you know when I do. 
> 
> The first few chapters will follow Arya and the choices she makes on that fateful day in kings landing but Jon and Daenerys will be along shortly. This story does differ from the show, not hugely at first but the changes will get bigger as we go along. This probably is necessary but just in case you haven’t seen the last episode SPOILER WARNING.

For so many years all Arya Stark had was her vengeance, she had never believed that she would turn her back on it. She couldn’t fathom that there was anyone who could convince her to do so but somehow in a crumbling keep, with her last kill within her reach Sandor Clegane did just that. 

In that moment the man she had come to care for as deeply as she had once hated him gave her a choice. Die with Cersei’s blood on her hands or live knowing that with Daenerys Targaryen hunting her the Lannister Queen was as good as dead.

It should have been a simple choice but letting go of the one thing that had driven her onwards for so many years was harder than she had ever thought it could be.

“Live girl” Sandor urged her as he pulled her into the first and only hug the two of them would ever share. “Have a good life” he almost begged her “live enough for both of us”

Watching him walk away to claim his own vengeance Arya knew she would never see him again and it hurt almost as much as slipping away from her family in the early morning light had. She knew if she had bid them farewell, they would have tried to stop her so she had left them without a word.

She had thought she was doing the right thing at the time but she now knew that if anything happed to her (or Gods forbid them) and she never saw them again, she would die with the regret that she had robbed herself of the chance to say goodbye to them, she would not make the same mistake with Sandor. 

She called out to him just before he left the room, using his real name for the first and last time, she wanted to bid him farewell, she really did but the words would not come, so she thanked him instead. Inwardly she cursed herself, the girl she had once been could have given him a much better send off, she would have hugged him tight and asked him if he really had to go, she might even have wept but that girl was dead, she died many years ago and Arya couldn’t resurrect her no matter how much she sometimes wanted to.

Sandor gave her one last look, his gaze held both deep sadness and a lingering hope but more than that it held understanding, not just of what she was trying to convey but also what she was feeling. If time wasn’t so short Arya thought Sandor might have hugged her again but instead, he gave her a firm nod and a soft, sad smile.

Arya had to turn and leave then, she could not watch him walk away from her knowing only death awaited him, leaving him hurt but having him leave her would have hurt even more.

As she ran from the room Arya was surprised to hear Sandor yell after her “Live girl, live well” he bellowed and, in that moment, Arya swore to herself she would try to honour her friends dying wish.


	2. To Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter two, I hope you enjoy it.

Arya Stark hated Kings Landing with a passion that nearly rivalled her feelings for Cersei, many times in the past she had wished to tear it down with her bare hands but now as it crumbled around her, she could finally see that was the cruel and hateful wish of a lost lonely child.

The high lords of Kings Landing were monsters in human form, they used others as pawns in their games of power with never a thought to the consequence that those prawns would suffer. The people of Kings Landing were for the most part innocent of the crimes their leaders committed.

As a young girl who had to listen as they called for her fathers head she had not been able to see that, now she did and it broke what was left of her heart to see them running in terror, they were defenceless, they always had been, why had she not seen that before? Why could Daenerys not see it now?

The weeks she spent living on the streets of Kings Landing served her well, she knew every route out of the city, she could weigh her options and chose the one that gave her the best chance at survival. She knew which side streets led the dead ends and which back alleys were likely to be filled with rubble by now but it seemed most of those around her didn’t have the same luxury.

Arya’s heart lurched in her chest as she saw an older man, a father or possibly even a grandfather hurry two young girls into a narrow street in an effort to protect them. It was a clever move, the Dothraki on their horses couldn’t follow them down there and the ever efficient Unsullied would not waist precious fighting and killing time on three unarmed stragglers. They were safe from Daenerys ground troops but not from her and not from a city that was coming apart at the seams.

Looking at the swarming masses around her Arya was faced with a choice. She could help these people; she knew she could. Not all of them would live that was sad fact that she had already excepted but more would live with her help than without it.

Moving quickly and alone her survival was almost guaranteed but could she really leave so many innocents to their fate, could she live a good and happy life as she had promised Sandor, she would knowing she had paid for it with the lives of so many others.

There was no choice to make, not for Arya Stark at least. As no one she had taken many lives but No one was just as dead as the idealist young girl she had once been. What and who she had become Arya wasn’t completely sure but she knew one thing, she was a Stark and a Stark would not leave Innocents to die, not if they could help it.

She took one fortifying breath and raced after the man and his charges, they were the first she would help.

“Stop” she cried after them as she ran into the alley “this is a dead end, the city is crumbling, you will die in here”. The three citizens turned to face her and she could see that while her words had stopped them, they had also increased the terror they were feeling.

For the first time in years Arya wished she was more like Sansa, the Lady of Winter Fell would know how the comfort and console them but all Arya knew was how to keep them alive and that would have to be enough.

Arya approached the party as slowly as she dared, she wanted to be gentle with them but every second they delayed was a second closer to death, either by Daenerys forces or falling debris.

“I know these streets well” Arya tried to reassure them “I can get you out of here, if you let me” she reached her hand out towards them.

She didn’t expect them to trust her easily, their city was under attack from the Dragon Queen and the northern forces and here she was a clearly northern girl offering to help them. She was genuinely surprised when the youngest of the two girls ran from the man’s side an took a hold of the hand, she was offering to them.

Arya looked to the older man silently asking him if he trusted her as much as the young girl in his care did. He took a firm hold of the other child’s hand and gave Arya a weak smile.

“Lead the way girl” he said gruffly, he was doing his best to be brave for the girls but he was clearly just as scared at they were, he was putting his faith in her to help them and to keep them safe.

With another steadying breath Arya turned to lead the three out of the alley hoping with every step that she wasn’t about to let them down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read, I would love to know what you think.
> 
> Thank you again
> 
> Millie xXx


	3. To Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three is here folks. Thank you so much to everyone who has read and liked this story so far, ever kudos means the world to me. 
> 
> So, in this chapter we are sticking with Arya and the choices she is faced with during the fall of Kings Landing but I Promise Jon and Daenerys chapters are coming soon.

Arya’s small party grew quickly, apparently, she had chosen to help a very popular man, people called out to him from all corners as they travelled thought the winding streets of the city. At first many were surprised to see him following a young woman, their surprise turned to disbelief and mistrust once they realised, she was not only young but a northerner too.

On more than one occasion she was delayed in her quest to escape by having to stop and assure the people her group came across that she meant no harm. Arya was never very persuasive with her words; actions were her strength and she knew it.

What she didn’t know was why the southerners all seemed to believe her when she explained she intended to help them, of course she wanted them to trust her but every time someone new fell in with her ever growing posse she was slightly stunned at how willing they were.

The route she had chosen worked out well, there were some close calls with falling buildings but with a Dragon on the attack there was nothing she could do about that. It wasn’t until they we almost at the out skirts of the decimated city that they faced any real resistance.

There was a huge hole in one of the city walls, the relative safety of the planes beyond was in sight but a small number of Unsullied blocked their path.

Once again Arya was faced with a choice but like with helping the innocents of Kings Landing there was no choice to be made, she had gotten them this far and she wasn’t going to abandon them now, she was going these people out, even if she had to face the unsullied to do it.

There were only Three of them and had they been normal men Arya would have had no reservations that she could fight her way thought them and deliver her charges safely out of the city but the Unsullied were not normal men, Arya had seen enough of them in action to know that even for her they could pose a challenge. She was grateful the one they called Grey Worm wasn’t with them as she had seen him hold his own in the battel of Winter Fell and had no desire to face off against him.

“Stay back” she warned those that had followed her, urging them to stay out of sight, she released the hand of the small girl that she had held all the way though the city and handed her off to the man who had been protecting her ordinally. She had yet to discern what their relation was but she had learnt his name.

He was a Jon; the name had echoed thought the streets as the mere sight of him had draw others to their rapidly swelling group. Just hearing that name had given Arya strength and encouragement as she had forged on.

“Jon” she called softly to him, “I’m going to talk to them” she said indicating to the Unsullied before them. “I’m only going to fight them if I have to” she explained, Jon was clearly unhappy with her plan but he was respectful enough to let her finish laying it out to him before telling her so.

“As soon as you see the opening is clear, you get these people though it” Arya pushed on “you get them away from here and to safely” she ordered him firmly.

“There are only three of them” Jon pointed out “and many of these men would fight them for or with you girl” he told her. “You set out to help us, now let us help you” he almost pleaded with her.

Arya genuinely liked Jon and not just because of his name, he was kind and honourable, he was obviously popular for a reason. She wanted to explain to him why things had to be this way but they really didn’t have time, so instead she gave him the warmest smile she could muster and said “I promised to get you out and with your help I will, just wait for your chance and take it” she reiterated before boldly marching towards the unsullied.


	4. To Do What Needs To Be Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter four, I genuinely don’t remember the last time I up loaded two chapters in one day. I am having so much fun with this story, the chapters are way shorter than I usually write but I wanted to challenge myself so hopefully they will stay that way. We will just have to see if I can keep to the rules, I have set myself. I don’t usually.

There were very few things in the world that Arya Stark feared, the Night King had been one of them and she had slayed him where he stood. She would never admit it to anyone but the thought of fighting three Unsullied alone made her heart race in almost the same way the Night King had.

She had years of training and was confident in her skills but these men had been taught to kill before they were taught to speak, only a fool would underestimate them and Arya Stark was no fool.

She moved as quickly and confidently as she could, there was no point trying to sneak up on them, that would make her intentions seem duplicitous, even if she only intended to fight with them as a last resort. 

The Three men never broke formation, that just watched and waited for her to reach them.

“No one is to pass” the commander of the group spoke in the common tongue, his eyes darted from the girl before the host of people that lingered behind her. Arya was tempted to tell him that she was No One but that wasn’t true anymore.

“I am Arya of house Stark” she told them coolly “the hero of Winter Fell, the slayer of the Night King and the Bringer of the Dawn” she said using the list of titles that their Queen had insisted on bestowing on her. 

The names meant little to Arya herself, she didn’t want or need plaudits from the foreign Queen but she knew that would mean something to the men before her. She was respected by their Queen, at least that was what Daenerys would have them believe. Arya was not sure the Dragon Queen respected anyone or anything anymore. 

The three men had clearly heard of her, they stood a little straighter and gripped their spears more tightly.

“These people are non-combatants and I am delivering them safely off the field of battel” Arya announced channelling her memories of Ned Stark into her words and hoping they held the same gravitas that his would have.

She remembered her father telling her there was no honour in killing innocents, she wasn’t sure the Unsullied shared his beliefs but she had to try to handle the situation peacefully if she could. She could actually hear Sansa’s voice in her head cautioning her against acting rashly.

“No one is to pass” the commander repeated again “it is the Queens orders, any who try are to be executed as traitors” he added and Arya sighed in defeat, she hadn’t wanted it to come to this, she had tried to be diplomatic but the Unsullied had left her no choice. She was not going to give up on her charges without a fight and to fight an Unsullied warrior was to fight to the death.

She stared at the men before her with eyes of ice, she knew what needed to be done and some small part of her regretted it already. These men had fought for her home and defended her brother, they had been her allies then but now they stood ready to slaughter innocents who only wanted to escape they chaos the Unsullied’s Queen had caused, they were her enemies. 

“Valar morghulis” she told them, she gave them a nod of respect a sign of thanks for what they had done at Winter Fell and perhaps an acknowledgement that she was sorry for what was to come for them. 

Then she unsheathed needle and charged.


	5. To Trust And Be Worthy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter five cometh, I kind of broke my length rules on this one, it is a bit long longer than the others but not by much. I honestly didn’t intend to cheat on this one, I actually though it would be one of the shorter chapters but it just kept going.
> 
> We are still with Arya at the moment, if all goes to plan there should be one more Arya chapter after this one then we will be shifting to Jon Snow for his first chapter. Something I didn’t realise until just today is that Arya chapters are probably going to outweigh Jon and Daenerys chapters. Again, this wasn’t in the plan but I’m having fun so, I guess I’ll just let Arya run away with the majority of the story.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this story, every kudos makes me smile and thank you to Naty31 and Tennebrae for their lovely comments they are hugely apricated.

To say that the fighting the Unsullied was hard would be a huge understatement. Arya could not remember the last time she had such difficulty besting her opponents. More than once she knew she had been seconds from meeting her end, if she had been even half a step slower all would have been lost.

She was victorious but it was hard earned and tasted bitter in her mouth, she had not wanted these men to die any more than she wished for her charges to perish but they had made their choice and she had been forced to make hers. 

It was not an easy decision to make but she would stand by it until the day she died.

As the last of the Unsullied fell Arya became aware that she had not escaped unharmed. Both her right arm and leg ached, she vaguely remembered that one of the Unsullied had slammed his body into hers in an effort to overpower her. She was also bleeding from her left side, the result of a near miss, had the spear been moving just slightly quicker she may have survived the blow but she defiantly wouldn’t have lasted long after that.

Arya didn’t have much time to think about her wounds, Jon it seemed had followed her instructions and most of the citizens were already thought the breached wall by the time her fight was done. Stealing herself for the pain that she knew was to come Arya took off after them at a run.

The group of escapees clearly didn’t feel any safer outside the walls than they had inside the city. They clung together and hugged the wall, which honestly was not a bad idea, at least no one could sneak up on them that way.

Arya knew she needed to find a place for them all to hide, the plans were safer than the city but they were still controlled by Daenerys’s troops and if a group of runaways were found they would probably be killed on sight.

Huddled against the city wall as they were the people were exposed and in danger, they could not stay there but to find them somewhere to go Arya would need to leave them defenceless and that did not sit well with her.

For a moment she was unsure of what the right course of action was but then she remembered Jon saying there were men there that would fight for or with her. Searching the group with her eyes Arya was relieved to see that there were a number of young health looking people among them, some of them were armed others weren’t but perhaps she could change that.

“Those of you that are armed come forward” Arya said doing her best to imitate her lady sister. She spoke quietly enough that she wouldn’t draw any unwanted attention but with enough authority that those before her had no choice but to listen. “If you are not armed get as close to the wall as you can and stay there” she added as those with weapons came forward.

“Do any of you not know how to use the weapon that you have with you?” Arya ask the people in front of her. There was a risk that she may insult some of them by asking but it seemed a safe assumption that some of them may have grabbed anything they could to defend themselves even if they didn’t know how to use it. That was very much something a younger, untrained version of her would have done.

To their credit those who were in that position confessed quickly and Arya took the swords and daggers that they had held off them and sent the back to the wall with the others.  
Arya then turned her attention to those that were unarmed “if any of you know how to use these” she said pointing to the small collection of weapons she had gathered “come forward and take them".

Almost instantly all of the weapons were taken up by able hands. One young man who had been disarmed was clearly unhappy to see an older woman pick up the sword he had dropped. “That was my fathers” he protested.

Arya could understand his dismay but she didn’t have time to deal with it now, they had already been exposed for to long. “When this is all over, you will get your fathers sword back” she promised “but right now we need it in the hands of someone who can use it if needs be” she told him firmly. Surprisingly the young man excepted what she told him without any further complaints.

“I need to find us some cover” Arya announced in the same firm quiet tone she had used before. “All of you stay as close to the wall as you can, if you stay quiet and still you shouldn’t draw any attention to yourselves, I will be back as soon as I have found somewhere safe for us all to go” she promised hoping it was not a lie.

Arya was not surprised to find that Jon was one of the people that had taken up arms when she asked for volunteers and in truth, she was glad he had. Trust was not something Arya Stark gave easily and while she may not completely trust Jon, she did believe he would do all he could to protect the people who had gathered together and followed her in hopes of finding safety.

“Jon” she called to him softly as she walked a few steps away from the others, he followed her without question. “If you are discovered before I get back, fighting will be your only hope of survival” she told him sadly.

Jon just looked at her with knowing eyes “if we are discovered there won’t be no survivor’s girl, you and me both know that” he sighed “but we won’t go down with out a fight” he added determinedly.

Arya refused to insult him by lying to him so she gave him some advice instead. “If they come on horse’s get them off, they are most dangerous while mounted, once they are on foot you stand a chance against them” she said about the Dothraki.

“Those like the ones I just fought are fast and lethal” she went on to explain about the Unsullied “slowing them down is the only chance you have, aim for the neck and the armpits of their uninforms if you can, that is where their armour is at it thinnest” imparting this wisdom was probably a waste of valuable time but Arya had give Jon and his people any and all chances she could.

Jon just smiled at Arya, knowing full well what she was doing, it was a sad yet hopeful smile that reminded Arya so much of Sandor that she turned and fled without even returning it. She needed to find these people somewhere safe to go but she had to leave them in order to do so and if she had stayed standing with Jon any longer, she would not have been able to go.

Arya Stark didn’t trust many outside her pack but it seemed that without even choosing to she had taken Jon of Kings Landing into her confidence. She was trusting him to protect the innocents in her care when she could not and he was trusting her to come back to them with news of a safe haven.

As Arya forged on doing her best to ignore the pain from the injuries the Unsullied had inflicted on her she swore she would do all she could to be worthy of the faith that Jon and his people had in her.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read, I really apricate it and I would love to know what you think so far. More will be coming soon, so until then bye, bye and thank you again 
> 
> Millie xXx


End file.
